IDEAL FERTILIZERS 61 



increased by a growth of delicate root hairs. Generally 

 speaking, a cutting or tearing of the roots works great 

 damage to the plant, and every effort the plant has to 

 make to push its root through compacted infertile soil 

 in search of sustenance takes just so much from the net 

 profit. For best results the soil must allow free root 

 movement and provide the needed air and water. Koots 

 take in free oxygen and give oif carbonic acid gas. This 

 carbonic acid gas is absorbed by the film of water 

 around the^ adjoining soil grain. The water thus charged 

 has great solvent powers and much natural plant food is 

 in this way brought into availability. A deep, wide root 

 system is of untold benefit to a plant as it gives so large 

 an area from which to absorb water and with it the nour- 

 ishment held in solution. To secure such a root system, 

 put the soil in good mechanical condition, spread the ap- 

 plied plant food in a circle reaching from not too near 

 the stem out a little beyond the outermost branches and 

 while the plant is young cultivate deep enough to pre- 

 vent the establishment of surface roots. 



Leaves The leaves are both the stomach and the lungs 

 of a plant. Their digestive powers depend upon the green 

 coloring matter. Too much emphasis cannot be placed 

 upon the importance of leaves being in good condition. 

 Some crops require less foliage than others, but no crop 

 reaches the maximum when its leaves are covered with 

 parasites or are pale from starvation or because of physi- 

 ological disturbances. 



Protoplasm All parts of the plant are made up of 



